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Front Row: Richard Branson on Tubular Bells, Alison Balsom, Cannes

Richard Branson on Tubular Bells, Alison Balsom, Cannes

17/05/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Richard Branson on Tubular Bells, Alison Balsom, Cannes

Richard Branson on Tubular Bells, Cannes latest, Alison Balsom's Cultural Exchange choice.

Arts news and reviews with John Wilson, including Richard Branson on Tubular Bells 40 years on, Alison Balsom's Cultural Exchange choice, and new from the Cannes Film Festival.

With John Wilson

Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells was released 40 years ago this month - the first disc on Richard Branson's Virgin Records label. Since then, the album has sold millions of copies, featured in the London 2012 opening ceremony, and is now being performed by a duo in the show Tubular Bells For Two on a UK tour. Richard Branson reflects on the genesis of the album, his relationship with Mike Oldfield, and the concert that cost him a car. 

This year's Cannes Film Festival opened on Wednesday: critic Jason Solomons reports on the hits and misses so far.

Trumpeter Alison Balsom reveals her choice for Cultural Exchange: a recording of Bach's St Matthew Passion. She first heard it in her 20s, and feels the work sums up every possible human emotion. The music doesn't feature any trumpets - but she says adding one would spoil its perfection.

The film Fast And Furious 6 has just been released - the fifth sequel to 2001's original, The Fast And The Furious. Film critic Adam Smith considers the art of naming sequels.

Producer Rebecca Nicholson.

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